Locks for legs for folding table



Dec. 13, 1966 w. P. DE SAUSSURE 3,291,078

LOCKS FOR LEGS FOR FOLDING TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1965 INVENTOR WILLIAM P. DE SAUSSURE H IS ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1966 w. P. DE SAUSSURE 3,291,078

LOCKS FOR LEGS FOR FOLDING TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20. 1965 INVENTOR WILLIAM P. DE SAUSSURE a Tvgl/ H IS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,291,078 LOCKS FOR LEGS FOR FOLDING TABLE William P. De Saussure, 215 Brinekerhotf Court, Englewood, NJ. Filed May 20, 1965, Ser. No. 457,259 2 Claims. (Cl. 108-132) This invention relates to improvements in tables of the type with folding legs and, more particularly, to an improved form of spring lock for retaining the legs of tables in erected position.

Many different types of lock mechanisms have been made heretofore for folding leg tables. One such lock is disclosed in my US. Patent No. 2,695,827 dated November 30, 1954. In this form of lock, a latch member is pivotally mounted on a projecting ear on a cross-rail secured to the undersurface of the table and biased by means of a spring to engage a cross-member which connects the upper ends of a pair of legs for the table, thereby to hold the legs of the table in an erected or unfolded position. In this type of table, the legs, when erected, are essentially perpendicular to the top of the table.

In recent years, for esthetic reasons, a demand has existed for tables having legs which diverge or are splayed. Such splayed legs introduced problems, for example, in the smaller tables for the reason that one set of legs at one end of a table cannot be nested between the other set of legs at the opposite end of the table, when the legs are folded. This difliculty can be overcome in many smaller tables if the upper ends of the legs, when folded, can be disposed very close to the ends of the table. In other words, by moving the folding legs a few inches farther apart it is possible to fold under splayed legs without interference between them even on tables having relatively small tops.

In accordance with the present invention I have provided an improved form of latch for tables having folded legs in which the structure of the latch is greatly simplified, its resistance to damage is increased and its overall dimensions have been reduced substantially thereby enabling the legs of a table to be located nearer the ends of the table so that splayed legs of the type referred to above can be readily used on relatively small tables without interference between the folded legs.

More particularly in accordance with the present invention the new latch includes a one piece latch member and pivot enabling it to be connected to a supporting member affixed to the undersurface of the table and which is constructed and arranged to brace securely the legs of the table when they are unfolded and which folds compactly in such a manner that the legs, when folded can be disposed nearer the ends of the table than is possible with prior types of latches.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a typical folding table having a locking mechanism embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a table;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the table with the legs in folded position;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view portion of the table with the legs shown in unfolded position;

FIGURE 5 is a view in section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view in section along the line 66 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of the latch member of the latch according to the present invention.

A typical table 10 having a latch thereon of the type embodying the invention is illustrated in the drawing and 3,291,978 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 includes a top 11 of any suitable type, for example, a plywood top having a covering of hard plastic, linoleum, rubber or the like, as may be desired. The table is provided with two sets 12 and 13 of legs adjacent opposite ends thereof mounted in the manner disclosed generally in my Patent No. 2,695,827. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the legs 14 and 15 of each set diverge downwardly or are in splayed relation. The legs 14 and 15 are connected at their upper ends by means of cross bar member 16 and are further braced by means of brace member 17 parallel with and spaced from cross bar member 16. A pair of angle members or guides 18 and 19 have horizontal flanges 18a and 19a underlying the ends of the cross bar member 16 to allow the ends of the member 16 to slide thereabove between a folded and unfolded position. The guides 18 and 19 are fixed to angle members 2t) and 21 extending lengthwise of the table.

To further guide and support the leg units, the table has on its undersurface a block 22 to which is pivotally connected one end of a link 23 having its other end connected to a lug 24 extending from the middle of the brace 17. By virtue of the triangular relationship of the link 23, legs and cross bar member 16, the legs can be moved from a folded position as shown in FIGURE 3 in which the legs are flatly in engagement with the undersurface of the table top 11 to an erected or unfolded position as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 6. Inward movement of the cross bar is limited by means of the downwardly bent flanges 18b and 1% at the inner ends of the flanges 18a and 19a which underlie the cross bar member 16.

The latch embodying the present invention includes a one-piece latch member 25 which, as shown in FIGURE r 7, is an angle member having right angularly related flanges 26 and 27. At the left hand end of the latch member 25, as shown in FIGURE 7, is a notch 28 which is generally complemental to the curvature of the cross bar member 16. At the opposite end of the latch member is pivot portion or tongue including a narrow neck portion 29, an angularly bent portion 30 extending substantially perpendicular to the neck portion 29, an intermediate portion 31 which extends generally parallel to the neck portion 29 and an inclined outer end portion 32 having an aperture 33 therein. Pivotally receiving the portions 29 and 30 is a slot 34 in an angle member 35 which is secured to the underside of the table top 11 closely adjacent to its end. The portions 29 and 30 and the slot 34 serve as a pivot to enable the latch member to swing from the folded position shown in FIGURES 3 and 5 to the latching position shown in FIGURES 4 and 6 retain the pair of legs 12 in an erected position.

In installing the latch member, its flange 26 is disposed adjacent to the underside of the table and extends in a direction such that when the latch member is in the folded position as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the flange 26 is interposed between the cross bar member 16 and the table top 11 and the flange portion 27 lies flatly against the angle member 35 as shown in FIGURE 5. Inasmuch as the latch does not have any projecting pivot or hinge eyes and the flange 26 is thin, the cross bar member 16 of the legs 12 can be positioned only a fraction of an inch from the angle member 35.

The space gained with the new latch enables splayed table legs to be spaced longitudinally of the tables so that they do not interfere, when folded, even on tables having relatively short tops. Nevethel-ess when the table legs are erected or unfolded they are spaced adequately from the ends of the table and do not interfere with the people seated around the table.

The latch member 25 is biased in a clockwise direction toward the position shown in FIGURE 4 by means of a spring 37 having one end engaged in the aperture 33 of the tongue and its other end connected to a lug 38 fixed to the angle member 35 or the underside ofthe table.

Inasmuch as the flange 26 on the latch member overlies the cross bar member 26 and is adjacent to the table top, the latch member cannot be sprung or b'ent away from the table top and accordingly, damage to the latch through mishandling is largely avoided. Moreover, the end 39 of the flange 26 serves as a limit stop by engaging the angle member 35 when the latch member is in its latching position.

Inasmuch as all of the components of the leg supports and latch can be formed of angle members and can be readily produced by simple stamping and sawing operations, the latch can be made inexpensively and with few operations.

It will be understood that the structure, size and arrangement of the tables can be modified according to requirements and legs of the parallel type may also be providcd on tables having the new latch thereon. Accordingly, the form of the invention described herein is illustrative and the invention is limited only as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A latch for a folding table having a top and pairs of foldable and unfoldable legs, each pair of legs being connected by a cross-bar member at one end thereof and guides fixed to said table top and slidably receiving said cross-bar member, said latch comprising an elongated angle member having a tongue at one end thereof and an opposite free end, a member fixed to said table top having a slot therein pivotally receiving said tongue and spring means connected to said tongue and said table top and biasing said angle member against said cross-bar member to engage said free end with said cross-bar member When said legs are unfolded and retain them against movement to a folded position, said angle member having substantially right-angularly related flanges extending lengthwise thereof, one of said flanges being disposed substantially perpendicular to said table top and the other flange being substantially parallel with said table top and interposed between said table top and said cross-bar member when said legs are folded.

2. The latch set forth in claim 1 in which said other flange has an end engageable with said member fixed to said table to limit pivoting movement of said angle member in one direction and said one flange engages said member to limit pivoting movement in the opposite direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 923,500 6/1909 Drees 10836 2,178,248 10/1939 Bristow 108132 2,326,461 8/1943 Howe 108-36 2,542,394 2/1951 Cohen et a1. 108--36 2,695,827 11/1954 De Saussure 108133 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LATCH FOR A FOLDING TABLE HAVING A TOP AND PAIRS OF FOLADABLE AND UNFOLDABLE LEGS, EACH PAIR OF LEGS BEING CONNECTED BY A CROSS-BAR MEMBER AT ONE END OF THEREOF AND GUIDES FIXED TO SAID TABLE TOP AND SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID CROSS-BAR MEMBER, SAID LATCH COMPRSING AN ELONGATED ANGLE MEMBER HAVING A TONGUE AT ONE END THEREOF AND AN OPPOSITE FREE END, A MEMBER FIXED TO SAID TABLE TOP HAVING A SLOT THEREIN PIVOTALLY RECEIVING SAID TONGUE AND SPRING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TONGUE AND SAID TABLE TOP AND BIASING SAID ANGLE MEMBER AGAINST SAID CROSS-BAR MEMBER TO ENGAGE SAID FREE END WITH SAID CROSS-BAR MEMBER WHEN SAID LEGS ARE UNFOLDED AND RETAIN THEM AGAINST MOVEMENT TO A FOLDED POSITION, SAID ANGLE MEMBER HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT-ANGULARLY RELATED FLANGES EXTENDING LENGTHWISE THEREOF, ONE OF SAID FLANGES BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID TABLE TOP AND THE OTER FLANGE BEING SUBSATANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID TABLE TOP AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID TABLE TOP AND SAID CROSS-BAR MEMBER WHEN SAID LEGS ARE FOLDED. 